What’s the Worst That Could Happen?: WWE Payback Edition

It’s time once again for Payback, the second of three “PPVs” this week month! With a stacked card, and the future working the main event, it feels like it could be the start of something big. What’s the Worst That Could Happen?

To make sure you don’t miss anything, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook. Now that we’ve gotten the shameless plugs out of the way, let’s see what we have to look forward to tonight in the great American city of Baltimore, MD:

Kickoff Match

Macho Mandow & Axelmania vs. The Ascension

Best Case Scenario: In the middle of the match, Macho Mandow rips his “face off” John Travolta/Nicolas Cage style and reveals that he’s been El Torito standing on top of Hornswoggle the entire time.

Worst Case Scenario: The Ascension win a way that makes The Meta-Powers (thanks, Andy!) look weak, or the MPs win a way that forces them on a path towards self-destruction.

What Nick Wants to Happen: Something that doesn’t make me want to throw up a little in my mouth, and all four performers being allowed to actually explore the studio space instead of simply trying to fit them into specific lanes for easy digestion. NOT TO GO OFF ON A RANT HERE, but allowing wrestling fans to be in on jokes like this is exactly what the WWE should be doing if they want to be able to appeal to both “smart” fans and the people who watch because they find it fun, but not existentially validating or anything like that.

What Will Happen: One presumes that they — meaning the WWE — have realized The Ascension’s value as gatekeepers to the real tag team scene for the time being, what with their hard heel personas and obvious derivativeness. As such, it feels like they may keep the (Axel)Mania and the Ma(n)d(ow)ness going for at the least a few weeks/months.